Explore WWI trenches and tunnels in France and Belgium

During World War I, trench warfare was a common method of combat for troops serving on the front lines. The use of machine guns and rapid-fire field artillery shells forced soldiers from both sides, Allied and Central Powers, to dig underground into an intricate system of trenches. These trenches served as a defense against enemy fire and allowed soldiers to return fire without being completely exposed. Tunnels, on the other hand, were used to covertly place explosives beneath unsuspecting enemy soldiers and to transport supplies between different parts of the battlefield. In one known example, a tunnel was used as an underground hospital.

Although overgrowth and erosion have largely overtaken many battlefields in the 100 years since the Treaty of Versailles was signed, officially ending the war between Germany and the Allies, archaeologists, historians Scientists and even civilians discovered these protective hiding places throughout Europe. These locations are an important glimpse, even today, into the battles that took place during the war.

Here are four tunnels and trenches that visitors can see first-hand: Canada Memorial, Vimy, France

The trenches at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial. (Paul Arps-Flickr/Creative Commons)

One of the first things visitors notice at this northern French monument, 125 miles north of Paris, is a massive limestone monument commemorating the Thousands of Canadian soldiers who were missing or presumed dead during the First World War. The memorial sits on the site of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, overlooking the restored remains of a system of brick trenches and tunnels dug into the surrounding green hills.

In preparation for the battle, the Canadian Armed Forces worked with several British tunnel armor units to build a complex network of underground tunnels, some nearly a kilometer long, to protect soldiers and provide convenience and concealment Movement of troops and supplies. This was particularly important because the Germans occupied the high ground in the area and could easily spot activity on the surface. Some tunnels have running water and lighting systems. Others were used to secretly plant explosives beneath German fortifications. On the morning of Easter Sunday, April 9, 1917, during a snowstorm, the Canadian Armed Forces attacked the German Sixth Army. Immediately following the bombardment, waves of Canadian troops poured into the trench walls. The purpose of the bombardment was to give the Canadians time to reach the German positions before Sixth Army could recover from the bombardment. Despite heavy losses, the Canadians succeeded in driving the Germans back.

Today, tour groups can explore the tunnels and trenches with a guide, or actually Google Canada. Wellington Quarry, Arras, France Wellington Quarry, Arras, France (Amanda Slater-Flickr/Creative Commons)

Wellington Quarry (la Carrière) is located 110 miles north of Paris. Wellington's associated tunnels were cleverly designed and provided a working hospital with 700 beds and a functioning theater for British troops and Allies. Not only that, but workers from the New Zealand Tunneling Company built a maze of passages on the massive project, connecting them to pre-medieval tunnels. (The name Wellington is a nod to New Zealand's capital city.) Today, the Carrier Wellington Museum sits underground, and tours include a 70-foot-under elevator depicting the 1917 Battle of Arras between the British Empire and the German Empire, via Visiting the soldiers' dormitories and the hospital for injured soldiers provides a glimpse into the underground life of the soldiers. Temple Wood, Ypres, Belgium Temple Wood, Ypres, Belgium (iStock/John Gomez Pix)

After the dust settled after the final battle of WWI and Citiz, Enns got a man named Schier A farmer who returned to reclaim his land discovered a maze of trenches drilling holes into the soil of western Belgium. He decided to preserve the land rather than replant crops because it was to commemorate the Great War and those who lost their lives in it. In the century since, the property has remained in the hands of the same family, the Hiyes family, who have maintained it and left it largely as it was when their late relatives found it . Today, the Temple Chalet is a museum filled with artifacts found at the site, including weapons, ammunition, graves, soldiers' personal belongings, and photographs. But arguably its main feature is a series of twisting, corrugated, metal-lined trenches that serve as a reminder of where the British front line once stood and where hundreds of lives were lost. Beaumont Hamel Newfoundland Memorial, Beaumont Hamel, France Beaumont Hamel Newfoundland Memorial, Beaumont Hamel, France (Wikimedia Creative Commons) A small place in northern France, about 100 miles southwest of Belgium , the trenches that made up this network were among the shallowest built during the war. In the years since, they have been reclaimed by nature.

At first glance, the rolling hills and valleys may seem like just an oddity of the landscape, but in fact they were Allied protection.

Today, the 74-acre property is home to a monument - a bronze reindeer atop a granite pyramid - commemorating the soldiers of the Canadian Armed Forces, especially those from Newfoundland who bravely served their country.